When the Minnesota Vikings released running back Dalvin Cook on June 10, he had put together four straight Pro Bowl seasons and had three years remaining on his contract.

Cook had produced 5,024 yards and 43 touchdowns on 1,075 rushing attempts and 1,399 yards and three touchdowns on 170 receptions since the start of the 2019 season. But Minnesota decided it would rather go without Cook and have him count $5.1 million against this season’s salary cap and $3.1 million against next season’s than let him continue playing on his five-year, $63 million contract, which would have paid him $10.4 million for the 2023 campaign.

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“To see people like that get released, especially in my position, it’s like, ‘Damn, what did they do?’” Pittsburgh Steelers running Najee Harris said. “Is it because of their age? Dalvin Cook is coming off multiple 1,000-yard seasons. What? I don’t know. Is it money from the team? They got to pay somebody? I don’t know. But it’s eye-opening, for sure.”

The former Alabama All-American wasn’t the only one incredulous about Cook’s release, which followed three of the NFL’s best running backs being prevented from entering free agency in March – not by contract extensions but by the franchise tag.

The Las Vegas Raiders’ Josh Jacobs (the NFL’s leading rusher in 2022 and a former Alabama teammate of Harris’), New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley and Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Pollard were franchise-tagged. If their teams can’t work out a multi-year contract with them by July 17, they’ll play for $10.91 million in the 2023 season. The franchise-tag value for running backs is the lowest for any non-specialist position.

Mark Ingram, who preceded Jacobs and Harris as a star ball-carrier for the Crimson Tide, tweeted: “It’s really offensive how the league treats running backs. RBs need their own union and (collective bargaining agreement).”

Harris is on the same side.

“Obviously, they say what they say about the running back, that the position’s kind of going downward,” Harris said as Pittsburgh wrapped up its offseason program last week. “If you look at some of the offenses, the running back is featured a lot. Just kind of what the guys are saying: Just show a little bit more appreciation because obviously it’s a rough position. What we go through, it’s probably one of the roughest positions, so I’m just advocating and I’m joining that team and I agree with pretty much what those guys are saying. I’m a running back myself, and I’m pretty sure any running backs who will want to come in the league or just people going around and telling them, ‘If you want to get paid, don’t be a running back.’”

Since joining the Steelers as the first running back selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, Harris has run for 2,234 yards and 14 touchdowns on 579 carries and caught 115 passes for 696 yards and six touchdowns.

“The position is an art to me,” Harris said. “I’ll always love the position. You could do so much. It’s almost as if you’re a queen in chess because you could do a lot of things — line up out wide, run the ball, protection. You could be implemented in the offense so much. For them to say the position is not as valued, it’s kind of crazy.”

Since joining Pittsburgh, Harris has the most touches (rushing attempts plus receptions) in the NFL with 694, which is 30 more than Jacobs at No. 2. No. 3 is also a former Alabama running back, Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans with 619 (despite missing nine games in the 2021 season).

Harris said he works hard to try to prevent the wear-and-tear that running-back detractors point to from affecting him.

“All l I could do is take care of my body and show them that I’m still available,” Harris said. “I guess all running backs could do is really just show that the best ability is availability, so to me just showing that I’m still who I said I was when I first got in, I think that’s important. With age, you can’t stop that. They just think when you turn a certain age and it’s over with, which is the craziest thing possible. There’s people in this league who’s 30, 40.

“I think it’s just a matter of how you take care of your body. I think that plays a big role. (NBA all-star) LeBron (James) said he spent millions of dollars on his body. I mean, ain’t going to say I spent a million, but I spend a lot of money on my body, too, because I know the best ability is availability.”

The Steelers will face a decision on Harris after the 2023 season. Next offseason, Pittsburgh can pick up its option for a fifth season on Harris’ four-year, $13.047 million rookie contract. Using the option would keep Harris out of free agency after the 2024 season and keep him with the team through 2025.

The Steelers also could decline the option and use their franchise tag on Harris after the 2024 season to keep him through 2025.

“They say that when you’re a certain age, then you’re out of your years for playing, which is crazy,” Harris said. “If you feel like you’re able to play still, then who is it for somebody else to say that you can’t? They don’t know your body neither have they been in your position. They’re just people writing behind the internet. They don’t even know how you train. They don’t know how you take care of your body. Just people making assumptions which they don’t know nothing about.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.